Supremex Further Diversifies in Growth Market with Stuart Packaging Acquisition

Supremex Inc., Montreal, Que., Canada, a North American manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of stock and custom envelopes and a growing provider of packaging and specialty products, this week announced that it has concluded the acquisition of Stuart Packaging Inc., an eco-friendly provider of premium quality folding carton packaging for the consumer market. This acquisition brings Supremex' share of total revenues from packaging and specialty products to more than 22% on an annual pro-forma basis and represents a key building block of the company's diversification and growth strategy. 

The transaction was concluded for total cash consideration of $17.5 million on a cash-free and debt-free basis. In addition, an amount of up to $2.1 million will be payable in 24 months subject to the realization of certain pre-established financial targets over that period.  

"This acquisition significantly strengthens our position in the folding carton packaging market and further diversifies our revenue stream into a growing value-added market segment," said Stewart Emerson, president and CEO of Supremex. "We look forward to working with Stuart Packaging's exceptional group of employees and management team who will help us further grow our packaging platform in new and exciting growth markets.

"The company's sales, excluding those from the Canadian envelope market, are now in excess of 45% of total revenues on a pro-forma basis. This is critical to our long-term success as secular decline and margin pressure in the Canadian envelope market appear to be accelerating since the threat of a work stoppage at Canada Post in the summer of 2016," Emerson added. "Our diversification strategy is on track and this current revenue split is in-line with diversification targets."

Stuart Goldman, president of Stuart Packaging, said that "we are delighted to be part of the Supremex family. With their domestic and U.S. footprint and complementary manufacturing processes, we are now in a position to grow our customer's share of wallet and accelerate our growth in new regional markets."  

Founded in 1983 by Stuart Goldman, Stuart Packaging Inc. is a fully integrated folding carton manufacturer with annual revenues of approximately $18 million on a last-twelve-month basis. It employs approximately 65 people at its 68,000 sq.-ft., state-of-the-art facility located in Montreal. Stuart Packaging offers packaging and finishing solutions for some of the largest multinational companies operating in the cosmetics, nutraceutical, fragrance, and pharmaceutical industries and its products have won both Packaging Association of Canada and Gutenberg awards of excellence for print and design. 

President and Founder of Stuart Packaging Stuart Goldman will assume a prominent role as president of Stuart Packaging Inc. –Folding Carton Division of Supremex, and help the company expand its packaging product portfolio and further leverage its existing manufacturing and distribution platform in Canada and the U.S. 

Supremex operates facilities across seven provinces and three facilities in the U.S. and employs approximately 845 people. Supremex' growing footprint allows it to efficiently manufacture and distribute paper and packaging solutions designed to the specifications of major national and multinational corporations, resellers, government entities, SMEs, and solutions providers.